Greg's Fishing Hole

2007-08-03T14:15:00.001-07:00

2007-08-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

11 Year Old Mojo Myles

2007-06-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to an ausie interview on 60 minutes on Team Hoyt. If you aren't familiar with team hoyt check it out! It's pretty inspirational.

http://ninemsn.video.msn.com/v/en-au/v.htm?f=39&g=649e6336-07c5-4120-9e19-caefd0a20561&p=aunews_au60minutes&t=m163&mediaid=102735

Then here's an embeded version of the Today show's report with spanish subtitles:

Happy Father's Day to all the good dads out there, especially my own dad!

2007-06-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

Golf fun! Another new video. Who would have thought, that with family in town, I'd create and edit three videos. Well, they wanted to help, and they sure did!

2007-05-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

Driving Fun! I hope this and the series makes it on sermonspice.

http://www.sermonspice.com/cart/?p=catalog&CatalogProducer=285

2007-05-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

Beach Fun! Hopefully this and others in the series will make it on sermonspice with my other videos:

http://www.sermonspice.com/cart/?p=catalog&CatalogProducer=285

2007-04-30T08:51:00.000-07:00

THIS IS A DRAMA WE DID AT CHURCH. Enjoy!

www.cccbrownsville.org/NEWcreacion.wmv

2007-04-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

ODE TO YELLOW

a poem by gregory fish

I'm a yellow, a fellow that's not very mellow.
Just watch me bellow as I stroll through the meadow,
loving my life. There's no time for a pillow.
This is a yellow: not one to settle
for a boring existence, such as playing the cello.
No, FUN is my motive and living my credo.
Relishing the moment is the mark of a yellow.

This poem is "corny", that's easy to see
But "corny" describes me so perfectly!

What color are you?

Find out at www.motivematters.thecolorcode.com

2007-04-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

2007-02-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

(read carefully and completely and follow instructions at the bottom)

This is the truth
If we turn things upside down
We can’t hope for goodness to win the world
I would be lying to you if I said that
The human race has a great future ahead
That altruism could replace egotism
That your lives could be filled with joy
That your children could be safe and healthy
Before anything you must know
The human race cannot accomplish these things
And I am convinced of this because I know you
Corruption and selfishness are so ingrained in you
Compassion breeds weakness
when only the strong survive and
I refuse to believe under any circumstance that
You can turn things around in the coming years
This world may be sinking to new depths but
There are even more revelations to come
The human race has only one destiny
And whether you like it or not
This is what is real
I am the Lord, Your God

You should know I believe exactly the opposite

(now read back through backwards, line by line, from "I am the Lord, Your God" and see how everything changes.)

This text comes from a video by Community Christian Church who adapted an idea presented by Granger Community Church.

2007-02-11T16:54:00.000-08:00

National Pastor's Convention

Last week I went to Zondervan's National Pastor's Convention in beautiful San Diego, California. It was very good. There were probably 1000 in attendance, and yet it was still an intimate and personal event. They threw out the red carpet for us! All books were 50% off, there was a Digital Cafe with wi-fi, drinks, reading areas, and a free chair massage person standing by. Every session they'd give us free books or CDs or downloadable goodies on our seat. Artists that performed included Fernando Ortega, Todd Agnew, and Nicole Nordeman. There were two different worship groups, and a whole host of Drama and Comedy acts. I was completely blown away by Ken Medema, who would summarize every main session at the end with a improvised song. He is a blind man, who plays the piano, and does keyboard sounds. He sits backstage and listens. After the speaker finishes he starts playing a new songs that sums up every aspect of the service, from skits to comments made in interviews, to the worship, and the speaking. He does so in a unique way everytime, and bring it all together in the end- truly amazing gift he has.

Main speakers were Ruth Haley Barton, John Eldredge, Mark Labberton, Brian McLaren, Eugene Peterson, and Bishop Kenneth Ulmer. Morning Bible Study was by Eugene Peterson and Stuart Briscoe. For seminars we could choose from this huge list: John Burke, Henry Cloud, Tim Conder, Bill Donahue, Mark Driscoll, Dave Ferguson (a Christian Church guy),Randy Frazee (he sleeps 10 hours a day!), Rozanne Frazee, Alice Fryling, Denise George, Ruth Graham, Kevin Harney, Sherry Harney, Shane Hipps (intriguing class!) Al Hsu, Mark Jobe, Dan Kimball, Brian Larson, Greg Ligon, Jimmy Long, Larry Osborne, Doug Pagitt, Marshall Shelley, Efrem Smith, Jarrett Stevens, Jeanne Stevens, Geoff Surratt, Greg Surratt, Gary Thomas, Phyllis Tickle, John Townsend, Richard Twiss, Karen Ward, Robert Webber, and Lauren Winner.

It was a great conference. I'm tired and my brain's on overload. We had to make it back for church on Sunday, and due to fog in Harlingen, had to drive a Rental Car back from San Antonio. So we got in a lot later than was expected, but we made it, and now can start sifting through all our materials, notes, and insights revieved. If you ever get to go to NPC, go.

2007-02-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note from San Diego, CA. The National Pastor's Convention is underway. I woke up this morning at 4:30 a.m. this time zone. I couldn't get back to sleep. Ran down in the foggy cold over concrete to the whirlpool only to find that it was locked until 7 a.m. They wouldn't open it. Oh, well. Hopefully I'll be able to stay awake through the late night options. Maybe I'll have to take a nap. Anway, I'm really looking forward to the Convention and the blessing that it will be and is already.

2007-01-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

63 People in our house- Jan. 28, '07!

2007-01-23T07:25:00.000-08:00

GOD IS LOVE

Valentines Day is a yearly reminder of what love is, or isn’t. I guess if we really want to learn what perfect love is, we must go to the source—to the author of love. My friend, Andrew Melton, will soon be bringing a group down to work with us and some of our missions in Mexico. He wrote a song back in high school that we used to play in our band. It was simply entitled, “God is Love.” The age old question that philosophers have pondered for centuries “Why are we here?” and “Who is God?” can be partially answered by those three little words—God is Love. In this song, Andrew asks, “Does God have a starring role in your Broadway Play?” He’s basically asking if God has a place in our hearts, and if He is a priority in our lives. In retrospect, perhaps a more pertinent question would be “Do you have a starring role in God’s Play?” God wants to show us perfect love, so that we can play a part in showing that love to others. He has faith in us to play this important part in His unfolding plan.

He has a lot riding on us. Those words were penned by Ted Dekker, a missionary kid turned author, who wrote the Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White). These books are very unique but so well thought out. In the story the main character goes between two different worlds or realities/dimensions. One of those is where we are today; the other is a metaphorical world where we see God and Evil in totally new but similar ways. God (or Elyon in the books) has designed what is called the “Great Romance.” His people follow this Great Romance as a parallel for what God has done with them. He pursued us, and he rescued us. He is crazy about his Bride, the church (the circle in the books), and is wooing others to come into a relationship with Him. It’s not a new idea. It’s just another analogy to consider and appreciate. Such is Song of Solomon which vividly encapsulates the concept of God romancing mankind. Has he won you over? Or are you playing hard to get? Do you love Him? In doing so, are you showing it by loving others?

2007-01-04T07:06:00.000-08:00

I'll share will you here my latest song. It's funny that it is brand new, and already recorded, while at the same time I'm partially recorded on a song I wrote in High School! I was inspired by my boys, and the song is about them. Emily even helped me write the personalized stuff. On the first of this year I got up around 6:30 a.m. to say good-bye to my in-laws who were getting ready to drive off. I said good-bye and went back to bed. I couldn't sleep. Out of nowhere came this song idea, and I decided to learn it on the mandolin. Last night I stayed up 'til 2 a.m. recording it complete with a spoons track and this morning added the boys' sounds. It was going to just be a secret track, but now I think I'll end the album with it after "This Blessing" and have a different secret track. So here you have it: listen to "My Boys"

2006-12-10T15:49:00.001-08:00

2006-12-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

2006-12-05T18:55:00.000-08:00

He's HERE!

Samuel Malachi Fish- Dec. 5, 2006
7 lbs. 5.9 oz. / 20 inches long / 1:48 p.m.

2006-11-25T17:03:00.000-08:00

Forgive Us Our Chicken Coops.

This was a production we did at the church last week. It is 30 min. long, but if you have the time to sit and watch it do so. It's pretty funny at times. It is a humorous and satirical commentary on how the church should not be.

2006-11-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU

From the trailer, this movie looks very good. I'm excited for the story of Christmas to go out in this way! Check out the trailer above and more clips at http://www.nativityresources.com/video.html.

2006-11-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2006-11-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

I just made my sermonspice debut! FishXpressions has two videos up on sermonspice.com (actually 1 video, in 2 different languages). It's exciting to have produced a video that could be approved by such a site. I hope that it will not be the last. While it's a nice little feat, I have only 2 of the 2558 sermon illustration videos on the site. What are the chances of someone finding mine, and buying it? Anyway, you can view the page with my videos by clicking here.

2006-10-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

Why I am Thankful in ‘06

A constant refrain throughout the Bible is that of giving thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and this comes with the reminder that His love endures forever. Romans 1:21 paints a bleak picture of those who refuse to thank God for all He has done. Ungratefulness hurts—even God. I would much rather fall in the category of Paul who says in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice [a way of giving thanks] in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Here is a quick list of things that I am thankful for this year. It is certainly not an exhaustive list, but it touches on the main points.

I am thankful that I’m a forgiven Christian with an eternal hope.
I am thankful that I’m married to a believer and can raise our children in the Lord.
I am thankful that God brought us down to do God’s work in here in Brownsville.
I am thankful that I have been allowed to extend my ministry into Mexico at times.
I am thankful that God is blessing our church, and lives are being touched for Him.
I am thankful for the ministry we have and the new friends (and brothers) we have made.
I am thankful for all the love we have been shown and how we have been received.
I am thankful that we are expecting another child.
I am thankful even for the long weeks of Emily being on bedrest.
I am thankful because I now appreciate more what Emily does around the house!
I am thankful how we have been cared for with meals, babysitting, and encouragement.
I am thankful all of the new experiences we had this year.
I am thankful even for the times of testing and the lessons learned.
Most of all I am thankful that we serve a good God, who loves unconditionally.

What are you thankful for?

2006-10-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS!

www.worth1000words.biz

www.fishxpressions.com

www.makeabookaboutme.com

www.bensonautosport.com

2006-10-16T19:45:00.000-07:00

Unsolved Mystery

Yesterday was a good Sunday. Until around 5 p.m. Rusty called from the church asking if I put away the laptop that we use on Sunday mornings. I told him that I just left it locked in the room like I always do so he could use it for youth group. He then told me that it's not there and it's not in the office. As things developed, it became obvious that there had been a robbery in the church. Four locked inside doors had been tampered with, and the thief(s) made it out with one laptop and one portable projector. It had to occur between 3:10 and 4:45 p.m. as the projector was still there when Nikki left her children's choir rehearsal and Rusty arrived at the later time. I am lucky that my guitar was not taken, since it was left on the stage in plain view of the robber. I am hoping these stolen items will turn up in a pawn shop somewhere and let the authorities know. It leaves a sick feeling in your stomach that someone would have the audacity to steal valuables from God's house. I mean, the laptop had a sticker on it that said "Jesus Loves You." For cryin' out loud! There have also been some cars in both parking lots that have been broken into recently. So we need to tighten up security. It's sad, but true. Nonetheless, God is blessing our congregation. Please remember us in your prayers.

2006-10-06T20:06:00.000-07:00

My Boys (first two anyway)

2006-09-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

2006-09-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

I'd appreciate your prayers on my wife's behalf. She is having troubles in her pregnancy. She has a history of preterm labor. And we want to avoid that at all costs. So doc said yesterday, after a week of complete bed rest, that it'd be six more of the same. I've been playing Mr. Mom and juggling the tasks of the church. You can read up on her blog at here. Thanks!

2006-09-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

September has come and gone. My in-laws visited us here during the last month; they flew down this time. As they were making their plans they mentioned wanting to fly down on the 11th. That made us cringe a little-- just the thought of flying on 9/11. They eventually changed their plans to the 10th, but mostly out of convenience.

It has now been five years now since that dreadful day where innocent people perished and ordinary people became heroes. It causes us all to reflect on life. Major motion pictures have recently been made to honor those families of the fallen. The question has been, “Is it too early to remember this event in this way.” My answer is that it is too soon to forget. You know where you were when you saw or heard the news that day. But everyday we seem to forget what it takes to secure the freedom we enjoy. I am ever grateful to those heroes that make our way of life possible-- ordinary people who do extraordinary things.

I wonder what did God think of 9/11? What does He think of any disaster? Before 9/11 one other tragedy that stuck out in people’s minds was the Oklahoma City Bombing. I have never been to New York. But I have been to Oklahoma City. In fact, I was there shortly after the bombing took place, and saw the building structure in ruins. What did God think of that? Though no one can really answer that question, we see in God’s revealed word that clearly we live in a fallen world. At Creation we were made in God’s image. However the corruption of the fall has stained the every fabric of our lives. Only through Christ can we restore the Imago Dei (image of God) in us, until the ultimate consummation of all things. Scripture also leads us to see that God does show emotion. Just as we wear our emotions on our sleeve, since we are made after His image, we can conclude that healthy emotion come from Him. What emotions are evoked in us after such atrocities like 9/11? It is the same that Jesus felt in John 11:35 after the sudden death of a dear friend. Jesus wept.
This inspired the sculptor of the memorial of the Oklahoma City Bombing. God was grieved over these events and is grieved over the tragedies in your life. When horrible things happen in our lives as a result of living in a fallen world, Christ is there with us crying with us and consoling our souls. Whether an act of terrorism or the loss of a loved one, or an extended stay in the hospital, it does not matter what the circumstance is, God cares about you. That does not change our situation, but it can change the way we view it. The thought that God is saddened by the things that sadden us changes our desire of blaming Him for what He did not do. Let us simply understand, and better yet, trust that God is our refuge and strength and an ever-present help in time of trouble. When we do grieve, we do not grieve like those who have no hope. (Ps. 46:1; 1 Thess. 4:13)

2006-09-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

I've been making a lot of videos lately. I put two more new ones on the church site homepage: Friend Day Promo and Dia de Amigos. I'm in Dia de Amigos, and John's in Friend Day, but they are the same concept. I like the spanish one better, though because of the doors. You'll see what I mean, check it out- www.ccbrownsville.com.

2006-09-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

WOW! Amazing Phil Keaggy video. Watch it.

2006-09-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

Upset or Embarassment?

OK. Even though I was born overseas I have been known to tear up when I hear "I'm proud to be an American." Yet today I found myself routing for Greece and hoping that the USA basketball squad would lose. I did the same thing during the Olympics, rooted for the other teams. Before you write me off as unAmerican, just hear me out. The original dream team was just that-- a Dream Team. Jordan, Johnson, Bird, etc. That was when all the games were blowouts, and everyone knew the USA would dominate. Now we are being put to shame, and they call it upset. It is an upset, we should still dominate, but to me it's an embarassment. Now I'd root for US of A in soccer if we could catch up the rest of the world in that sport, but face the facts the rest of the world has caught up to us in the game of basketball. They say, we don't have enough time to prepare. These other teams have played together before. The rules are different. Boo hoo!! The other teams play like a team. The other teams play defense. The other teams shoot high percentage shots. The other teams aren't stocked with superstars who want to hog the ball and build up their own stats. That's why we are now losing at these events. One would think that were paying these guys enough money so that they could learn to make some of their free-throws. I mean, if I was getting 90 million a year, I think I could probably shoot 80% from the line. The "dream team" will actually be forced to QUALIFY for the 2008 Olympics in Venezuela. It's sad but true. I don't know what the problem is, but I'm sorry, I'm glad when other teams "upset" them. USA, it's no longer a walk in the part. Millions of dollars and oodles of talent cannot secure a gold medal, or bronze even. USA brace yourself for World Basketball. Suit up ready to play, and represent your country well-- the greatest country in the world, well...except in basketball.

2006-08-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

How can you take in the Grand Canyon in a couple of hours? You can’t. But I did. On our recent trip to Arizona we had the privilege of witnessing this awesome landmark but only for a short while. It surely whet my appetite for going back sometime without the kids (who made great Jr. Park Rangers, but scare their mother half to death when they get within 20 ft. of the edge), for a couple of days of hiking and exploring. What is there to see without having to supervise toddlers? The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long and varies in width from 5 miles (8 km) to 18 miles (29 km). In the village area it is about 10 miles (16 km) across. The Grand Canyon begins at Lees Ferry, which is measured as mile 0 on the Colorado River, and ends at the Grand Wash Cliffs, mile 277. In the village area it is about 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) deep as measured from the south rim and 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) deep as measured from the north rim. There is a lot to see! From the publications available, they rangers would have you think that the Colorado River is responsible for forming this great chasm. However there are too many problems with these theories and no good explanations. Except from a Creationist’s viewpoint. Then you see it is a monument to the Flood of the Bible. One of many creationist geologists, Dr Steven Austin says: 'The catastrophic erosion of Grand Canyon (probably a result of drainage of lakes) was associated with river-terrace gravels, lake sediments, landslide deposits, and lava flows of the post-Flood period.' How can one stand there and deny the existence of God? We basically only had time to snap a few pictures and make one stop on the bus tour. As we waited for the bus to come I saw a sign saying there was a worship site 300 yards down the trail. It wasn’t service hours, but still I took off running by myself. I told my family I’d be right back and began running through a wooded area down a winding path, dodging those who were taking their time and trying to appreciate the canyon through the trees. I veered off the path every now and then and stopped for a better view of the world below. I ran for what seemed to be 300 yards, but did not see any structure or place of worship, until my eyes locked onto a small altar made of stones. I approached it slowly, climbed on top thinking of Romans 12:1-2- the living sacrifice passage. I looked out on God’s creation and simply worshipped. There were some song lyrics and psalms floating through my mind, but mostly it was just standing in awe of God and His creation. Not wanting to make my family wait or miss the bus, I headed back refreshed by a spontaneous, short, but very meaningful worship session with an audience of one. Upon arriving back to church on Sunday, I put a picture I took of the great divide as the song slide backgrounds. The first song we sang came from the end of Romans 8, where God says that nothing can separate us from His love-- not the farthest point of the Grand Canyon, to the opposite extreme, nor the place where we are to the furthest star. We simply get to enjoy the deep love of God as His preferred creation, and so stand in awe of His Majesty and Wonder.

2006-08-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

Leigh Nash (formerly of Sixpence None the Richer) is having a contest. I'm not a fan of remixes in general, but I attempted to remix her song. I'm hoping the judges see fit that I win the ipod. Even though people's ratings don't effect their decision, go on and give me a good rating, would ya? You can hear the original song here. My remix is on this page.

2006-08-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

Please pray for our new service. Contrary to most churches, our "contemporary" service will be the early service. This is due to me having Spanish service at 10 a.m., and no other time but 8:30 a.m. for the other. This church has never had this type of service, but it's been a long time comin'. I just hope it goes over well, and can be embraced even by some Winter Texans when they get here. I hope it will open new doors in our community. I hope it will be yet another blessing that God will bestow upon us here in Brownsville, TX.

Enjoy the teaser for the new service: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je0ZiyjJA4g

2006-07-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Plasma, Border, and Smitty

Before I moved down here, I checked online to see if there was a plasma center. There was. I called the number sometime after arriving, and the number was disconnected. So 9 months went by and no plasma donations. I was clean for that long. Then I overheard someone talking about Biomat Plasma down on 13th and Adams in downtown Brownsville. Shortly after, I was on the bed hooked up like an addict or something. I went to donate for the second time today. I was the only Anglo again, but that's fine, I'm beginning to memorize the infamous plasma questions in Spanish now. My $35 dollars today went straight to the gas tank.

The other day, we went to our sister church in Matamoros and participated in their 11th anniversary. Coming back, I was detained longer at the border than ever before. This was because I overheard the agent singing a Christian song under his breath. So on a saturday night with a long line of people behind, we broke into bilingual worship, talked about church and life, and left mutually encouraged.

I rented "The Second Chance" last night. I was curious about it, and wondering if Smitty could act, and Steve Taylor direct. But overall I was impressed. I thought it had a good message and was not "preachy" or too "corny." We as Christians need to see more of these positively uplifting films being produced at higher standards. Reviews will vary from person to person. Critics aren't fond of faith-based products, and frankly up until recently the movies produced by faith-based or Christian groups have not been great or produced with hollywood quality. This passed my skeptical test, as did End of the Spear. Both should be seen and not just by Christians. We are making strides, yes we are.

2006-07-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Just recently we took a trip back to Missouri. I only stayed two full days; my wife and kids stayed two full weeks. This made me miss them tremendously. (They missed me too, I hope.) While they were gone, I got a lot done—things that I could not do with them in the house, such as music recording, etc. Keeping busy was the way to make time fly by. There was less clutter in the house, but still more dishes in the sink. There was less chaos, but far too much quiet in the house. I began to miss the little things that annoyed me before, the boys crying in the morning and spilling milk on the floor. What I don’t miss now that they are back is the TV dinners! They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that is true in some essence. However, we must appreciate the times we are together and not squander them. I for one don’t want them to go away like that again, at least not for a good long while.

The spiritual parallel should be obvious. We have a relationship with God. God has chosen to be in a relationship with us. He desires us to be close to Him, for that is what is best. Our absence from Him does not makes our hearts grow fonder necessarily. It does sadden God, I think. He can do without us, sure, but He longs for us to be near for our sake. We can be very busy, accomplishing many things and still miss out on the blessing of intimacy with God. I think that sometimes we really annoy God with our attitudes, but when we distance ourselves from Him, He misses seeing our growth and development. By ourselves we are not going to receive the full blessings of a relationship! Moving away from God in any given situation is going to be a painful process, even if we are in denial, saying, “I’m doing just fine, thank you.”
James 4:8, says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. (NVI)” The Message paraphrases it like this: “Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time.” God desires a closeness. And yet, He is a gentleman. He will not force Himself on you. We must take full advantage of the opportunity before us. Even if you have walked a thousand miles away from God, He is always as close as one step from you. In the case of me missing my family, one long day of flying and the reunion is sweet. With God, He doesn’t need an airplane; He just needs a willing heart.

2006-07-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

VBS ends today. It's been great! Long, but good. There have been over 200 kids, and we're hoping to pick up some new families in both services. There is a highlight video I did up at www.ccbrownsville.com.

Tommorrow I'll do a live audition for a Christian Talent Search in Harlingen. Hopefully I'll be chosen to perform on August 26th, I think.

Please pray for Marcos and Sarah Abrego. They lost premature baby this week. I'll do the memorial service tommorrow as well. Though it's been tragic, these two accepted Christ this week with the hospital chaplain.

2006-07-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

I finished an old song of mine, with redone vocals. www.gregoryfish.org/ThisBlessing.mp3.

By late next week I should have a couple more. Enjoy!

2006-07-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

In the Christian Standard (July 2006) there is an ad and interview concerning the H20 DVD series. As a video enthusiast I was intrigued and went to check it out at www.H2Ojourney.com.

I met Shane Sooter (the creator/producer) at a video workshop in Broken Arrow, OK, so I was particularly interested. Then I saw that Kyle Idleman (College Heights and Ozark Christian graduate) was the teacher in the videos. Check out the site. The concept looks really good. The quality and production is amazing! Any video I've done pales in comparison. I only hope to be able to produce something like this someday for the Spanish world.

2006-06-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

2006-06-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

My dad just bought a cool-looking scooter. I too just bought a new ride. Although, it's got training wheels and no motor and is driven by my son Nathan. He's happy with his birthday present. Now that June is almost over-- Happy Birithday Nate! Happy Anniversary to my parents, and to me and my wife! Be safe all, and always where helmets.

2006-06-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

Please pray for María

Yeterday we saw the news crews on our street. They set up a live feed. We were sure to watch come 6 p.m. The first story came from a few houses down. We had no idea what was going on, then all of the sudden we were struck with the news. The segment was over, we looked out the window, and could see the reporter put the mic down. We switched stations and found another story from Parkview Ln. We resolved to intercede on behalf of María, in our prayers and in some physical way. But what was the story? Oh, you heard it too. It made National news this morning, and in a even more tragic way. María, who lives on our street, is the mother of Kristian Menchaca, one of the two soldiers who went missing and who this morning were reported as being brutally slaughtered by the enemy. It really hits home when the mother of this Houston soldier is our neighbor. We have yet to meet her, but we will take something over and tell her that we are there for her. I would ask that you remember to pray for María. We can no longer pray for her son's saftey, but we can pray for peace and strength. So, whoever is reading this why not stop and have a moment of silence for a soldier who bears the name of Christ and fought to protect our freedom and who died valiantly leaving a distrought family back home. Thank you.

2006-06-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Free Games and Codes - ZipGamer.com

Free Games and Codes - ZipGamer.com

2006-06-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the daddys, epecially mine. My dad, David, was a wonderful example as I shared in church today. Besides that, he is a diehard cubs fan. So this first picture is dedicated to him-- the cubs fan. Then the other is another of Emily's great pictures, edited in photoshop. I present you the two little ones who wished me a happy father's day today.

2006-06-12T18:26:00.001-07:00

Here's me not really at the Lourve, not really searching for the "holy grail" and definitely not finding it.

Here's me playing hide and seek. Unfortunately I was found.

I know, I know. I'm weird.

2006-06-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

I recently moved into a new house. Before moving to Brownsville, we had some big garage sales and “purged” our belongings. After eight months in a rental, we still had a garage-full of stuff, untouched. After painting the new house, we moved the big things in room by room, and inevitably we got around to the garage. Upon a quick sorting and an occasional “oh I’ve been looking for that” we were ready for yet another garage sale. Immediately following this, the remaining of the “keep” pile went to the new house’s storage building.

I share this story because I have been thinking about how our life is a house. When we embrace Christ our life starts anew, and the promised Holy Spirit takes residence in us, indwelling our “house” so to speak. Guest of honor is hardly a good term. For when God takes a hold of a life, he is either Lord of all or not Lord at all. My first question as I think through the spiritual concept of life as a house is, “Who has the master bedroom?.” So often the Christian, though not by words, but by deeds, has given the Spirit the guest bedroom, or the closet, or the basement (God forbid!). He should be in charge, He should dictate. He’s smarter! I mean He holds the mysteries of the universe in the palm of His hands. And yet we want take the driver’s seat? “I’ll put the couch here, and you go sit here, I’ll entertain you every now and then-- It’ll be real cozy for you here.” God doesn’t need our entertaining. He’s also not looking for cozy. Though the Spirit is called “comforter” He sometimes wants to take us out of our comfort zone and into a higher calling. However, we are too interested in what interests us and not in what interests God. So as we arrange the contents of a real house around what’s important to us, why not arrange our spiritual house around what’s most important—and that’s God?

As the applications of these thoughts set in, let’s move to a second question. If we’ve mistaken who’s in charge of this spiritual house, how do we get back on track organizing the contents in order of importance? One way that comes to mind is looking at lifestyle. Is it evident that God lives there, or He just getting mail delivered there? We get the real answers to these questions in Church. But it’s easy to go through the motions and toss those valuable principles away as if they are junk mail.

If the wear and tear on this house by neglect is becoming evident, it needs a makeover. And while we’ve thrown some of our God-given talents on the shelf or in storage, we need to resurrect those dry bones and give life to the house making it a beacon in the neighborhood.
There is a similar analogy in 1 Cor. 6:19, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” While Paul is talking here about abuses of the body, the point I want to make is more mental and less fleshy. It’s more of Jesus’ words speaking of the vine and branches in John 15:5, “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” As we build and add onto this spiritual house, we must always consult the owner of the house first. The Spirit abides in us, and is not like in the cartoons on one shoulder while the devil is on the other. He speaks in a still small voice. But we can’t hear Him if we don’t want to, or if the TV’s on too loud!

2006-06-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

ENGLISH VERSION TO FOOTPRINTS VIDEO
footprints

2006-06-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Another video offering. Perhaps redemption after the last one. I'm more proud of this one. All of the footage was taken at Boca Chica beach, except for Jesus which was from our Living Last Supper. It is footprints in the sand in video form in Spanish. I hope to make an English version soon. Enjoy this more solemn effort!

HUELLAS

2006-06-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

New Video Alert. Brace yourself for this one. You'll never forget this verse ever. Enjoy! (And I promise the next video will be much more solemn.)
English Version
Spanish Version

2006-05-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

Moving, Reading, and more DaVinci

So we finally moved! Contrary to my last post we didn't close last Friday, we closed the following Wednesday. We didn't get the keys until late Friday, and 15 min. after went straight to painting and moving. It's Sunday now, we're done with the big stuff, and I'm exhausted. I leaven tomorrow for Chicago (Moody Pastor's Conference) so we had to work hard to do the bulk of the moving now. Em's pregnant, so she can't lift anything. And it's hard for me now to lift anything (there's something about getting a queen mattress into a 15 passenger van all by yourself that is a little draining!). My folks are coming down to help with the rest tomorrow as well.

Before we got the keys I went to see the DaVinci Code (I didn't pay full price, I went to the matinee). I was quite different from the book, and a little less threatening to the church. People's general reaction has been that there's not so much to fuss over, it's clearly a work of fiction. I don't want to get into all the specifics about the discrepancies between the novel and the movie, or the easy job of debunking the whole theory. We should still pray for the gullible and for people in other countries (like India for example) who don't have the resources at their disposal. Over all this whole DaVinci circus has been a positive experience for the church at large. There is a new respect for many to the validity of our Scriptures. People who have never given it much thought before have a newfound respect for the all-time best seller down through the centuries, the Bible.

Now I'm reading a book I just got in. I'm probably going to have to separate fact from fiction in this one too! It's my cousin Dave's book, "Life's too short to be an Underdog." I'll write a full review once I'm through with it. Well, I got to go back to do something on the house, probably mow the grass. I'll post again after my trip to Moody.

2006-05-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

Closing on House, Birthday wishes, Strike up the old band

It's cause for celebration (I hope). Today we are to close on our new house. It's been a long an trying process. The price was right, we got a great rate, but the loan is being financed in Austin. So it's been a frenzy of email and faxing. We've extended our closing date twice already, but now I think we've finally got all the paperwork, etc.

My mother's day post was early. My dad's birthday post is belated. Well here it is. He's 52. At the big 5-O I made a photo slide show video. I thought it'd be good to preserve it now in cyber space, so here it is.

So strike up the band. Which band? I guess we could get the old band "brother john" to reunite. No, that'd be a little hard. Well, why preserve them in cyber space too. OK. The launch of the world renown "brother john" memory lane website is now. The site is up, and we'll be adding footage and pictures, and music, etc. Right now you can check out what's there and bookmark it @ www.brotherjohn.homestead.com. In all seriousness, we weren't the best local Christian band, but we sure had the best times of our lives together. And we had quite a ride. We ministered a lot more than some of the other bands too. God really open doors for us, and always provided for us when we'd have vehicle problems (all the time!). I'm grateful for those experiences, and miss those guys. Rumor has it that in the not so near future there will be another brother john album, all new songs.

2006-05-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

Just finished a new song. Actually it is an old song that is reworked. I recorded it when I wasn't producing quality recordings. It's about missions. That's why I've got this picture of me baptizing a girl in Mexico.

Here are the lyrics.

and the mp3

Enjoy:

Here I am before you Lord
To answer the question "Who will go?"
I am willing
I am ready
Here I am
Send me

I feel unworthy
But use me Lord
Teach me and guide me in Your love
Take my body
Take my mind
Take my soul
It's Your's oh Lord

2006-05-07T16:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Mom:

As I walk through my museum of memories,
I owe you—for your time. Day and night.
I owe you—for your example. Consistent and dependable.
I owe you—for your support. Stimulating and challenging.
I owe you—for your humor. Sparky and quick.
I owe you—for your counsel. Wise and quiet.
I owe you—for your humility. Genuine and gracious.
I owe you—for your hospitality. Smiling and warm.
I owe you—for your insight. Keen and honest.
I owe you—for your flexibility Patient and joyful.
I owe you—for your sacrifices. Numerous and quickly forgotten.
I owe you—for your faith. Solid and sure.
I owe you—for your hope. Ceaseless and indestructible.
I owe you—for your love. Devoted and deep.
-Charles R. Swindoll. Strong Family

2006-05-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

Multi-media Days

Warning: This post is long and interactive. May require a couple of visits.

My cousin, Dave, has linked me to his blog, and named me a multi-media mogul. My response to that is "hardly." (And I perceive that he probably said it sarcastically.) Truth is I dabble in multi-media because 1. It's a hobby. and 2. I realize that these are Multi-media days. More on that soon.

The multi-media areas that I like are:
1. Video Production
2. Sound Recording
3. Web Design
in that order probably.

I don't have the kind of time to devote myself to any one of these and really develop my skills, so it's made me a jack of these trades and not a master of any. But I have done some stuff on a very part-time basis. Here's my history in this field, for your enjoyment or disappointment maybe. Then I'll finish the post with a spiritual nuance.

Video Production:

To start us off, in high school I started making movies with my friends. This was camcorder straight to VHS editing (really bad). I took two of the early videos that I "directed" and re-mastered them on non-linear computer editing:
Rescue 911- Hazor's Razor
America's Most Wanted- Episode 1 (sequel was never done, so alternate ending was created)

In college I made two (humorous) videos for projects:
LOCfile Hunter (LOC = Life of Christ)- is missing as of now.
Missionary Discipline - starring Emily, Josh and Somer Quade, and Halle Doss.

Then I started making videos for church use (kind of the point of this post):
This link has several examples of these to browse from (note: in Spanish- some funny, some serious, some simple editing, some more tricky (El diablo, Ir o No Ir, La Tentación).

I started doing missionary promo videos: The Hellands in Holland and The McClung's In Germany. I also did promo videos for my ministry in Tulsa and the National Hispanic Convention that we hosted in Tulsa.

I did a two promo videos for the ministry here in Brownsville (English and Spanish) as well as a history/building project video and editing a Living Last Supper production. These are all on the home page @ www.ccbrownsville.com.

Now I've got video backgrounds for most of the songs on my CD for concerts. They wouldn't be very fun to watch without the vocals, etc.

I just got some more stock footage (aerials). I'm waiting on inspiration to put it to use in different ways. I might take some and green screen myself flying like the Isaiah 40:31 eagle. That would be awfully strange! I'll make some scripture animations and poem videos maybe submit them to sermonspice.com. I have some more ideas, just don't have the time yet. I'm going to try and shoot some of my own stock footage too here in the valley.

Sound Recording:

I've come a long way when it comes to sound recording. I'd like to redo a lot of the first songs that I recorded by myself. I'll be doing an English album soon. My Spanish album was done entirely at home on Adobe Audition 1.5. Hear it here.
I've produced and played on other Spanish albums, but the English album that I produced and played on that I'm most proud of is Stephanie Pittman's. Hear it here.
Some day I'll post all the old band recordings, give them a permanent home in cyberspace.

Web Design:

I really fake it on this one! I don't know hardly any html. I got into homestead.com when they used to be free, and am a charter member. So I get really good deals through them. I wouldn't use them were it not for that. I also picked up Namo Web Editor, but haven't learned it well yet. Some sites I've created are:
www.gregoryfish.org
www.ccbrownsville.com
www.iglesiacristianaagape.com
www.bensonautosport.com
There have been others (not very good ones), but these are current.
Emily created www.fishkids.homestead.com. I put videos of the kids on this site.

Spiritual Nuance:

I believe that the church and all its missions should be as cutting edge as the culture which it strives to change. In this day and age, media is the powerful agent of information and influence in all areas of life. That is why I take a particular interest in the field of Christian media.

In these days people are exposed to millions of messages though the vehicle of media. I understand that it takes a lot to compete with the quality that secular media puts out, even though our message is so much more lasting and true. Big churches can do it, because they realize that today the HAVE to! (By the way southeast's vine service is giving out media @ http://vineresources.com/.) We need to try and do what we can. When Moses didn't feel capable, God asked him what he had in his hand. I take what I have in my hand and use it for God with the best quality that I can. In 1 Chron. 12:32 it spoke of the "men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do." We should de the same, understand our times (media driven), and redeem the times as the days are evil (Ep. 5:16).

I know of some students that are producing incredible videos, far better than what I've done. We need more of that. We need tech-savvy people, and those who aren't need to incorporate stuff from www.sermonvideos.com, or www.sermonspice.com, or www.cityonahillproductions.com, or www.bluefishtv.com. The philosophy of visual metaphor is discussed at length at www.midnightoilproductions.com. The list of resources at our disposal could go on. But these are all in English. Who's gonna make stuff for Spanish churches? I hear the voice of the Lord, "Greg, what is that in your hand?"

2006-04-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

Dan Brown's DaVinci Code is creating quite a stir of energy and perhaps in the minds of unchurched Harry and Mary mass confusion. The church needs to be ready to separate fact from fiction, and do it in a loving way. Tom Hanks, one of the actors in the movie version that is coming out on May 19th put it this way:

Tom Hanks says that the movie version of Dan Brown's best selling book The DaVinci Code will have people flocking to church."I think the movie may end up helping churches do their job," said Tom Hanks telling US magazine Entertainment Weekly."If they put up a sign saying: 'This Wednesday we're discussing the gospel", 12people show up. But if a sign says: 'This Wednesday we're discussing The DaVinci Code,' 800 people show up," he added.

Apologetics is back! In order to enable our church-goers to have intelligent conversations around the watercoolers of America there is a lot of good material out there. I am cheap and stingy, so I have made it a point to seek out quality material that is FREE. One of many resources I have found is located at this link. Scroll down to March 27th radio program, and listen online to ten radio snipets 3 min. a piece. Also click on a title for the transcript of all ten. Probe also has some great powerpoint presentations with speaker notes here.

Outreach Magazine also has a very good article on the subject. This pdf makes a nice full color print-out: link

If you're interested in an actual seminar Yvon Prehn offers a seminar that is very affordable, especially in light of Lee Strobel prices. I've met Yvon at a Church communication seminar; she's very good. She has two free articles on the DaVinci code here including "Why you should care about the Da Vinci Code."

One workshop done at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is available fro audio download in its entirety here (10 sessions)!

I think that's enough to get started. If you're looking for a better answer than National Geographic's response (which wasn't too bad) all you have to do is a little searching.

Let's seize the opportunity provided by erroneous entertainment!

2006-04-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Gone Fishing...way gone.

This last Saturday I was gone...gone fishing-- deep sea fishing. This was a first-time experience for me, and maybe the last. My description up top says that I don't fish, I don't like fish, etc. I hold to that.

I was happy to try it out. We left the port after taking two Dramamine®. I was having fun (I even had a "King of the World/ Titanic" moment), and then I rushed to the little on deck bathroom. Although I didn't actually produce anything, the time in the bathroom was not fun. I stepped out and people instantly took notice of my color. I was wearing a white shirt, so someone pointed out how my face and lips even blended right in with my shirt. At this point we were about ready to stop and fish. Everybody started getting the squid-bait ready and a deck hand sliced up a big ol' fish for more bait. I immediately took to the back of the boat thinking that was the best place to be incase I needed to feed the fish (almost did too). I decided to take two more Dramamine® even though that's too much of a dosage. I went to lay down. The first spot we stopped at was teeming with fish. I heard the sounds of fish flapping around. I was just wanting to be back on the shore. The day had only started.

Another rookie had prevously offered me a chewable Bonine tablet. I had previously declined, however by this time I accepted. After sitting out a couple more stops I dared to eat a little something. People were talking about catching something for me to take home, since I wasn't doing any fishing at all. Other's had already caught sharks even.

Finally, I was ready to fish. I wasn't so ready to bait the hook with squid, but had I to do it. Long story short, at this point I was alright. I caught one Red Snapper that was over the 16 inch limit so I was able to keep it. All of the others that I caught were under the limit, so I had to throw them back. Since the rods each had two hooks, at one point I one on each hook, but they were both less than 16 inches long.

We arrived to shore and I went straight to the church, showered and got ready for the Saturday Night Service. I led the singing and that went fine. I closed my eyes to pray and found myself moving again like as if I was on the sea. After the service, I contemplated cancelling the Christian Poker night, but it was already set and people were on their way. After that I crashed. Even though I'd showered I still smelled like fish!

I've heard that fish tastes better when you caught it yourself. I don't believe it. Well, Emily and the boys liked it. I am glad I went. Now I can say I've been there and done that. But if someone invites me to go fishing again, I just might have to tell them that I'm gone.

2006-04-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

Enjoy solving problems with the flowsheet!

2006-04-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

Heat, Houses, and Happy Easter

It was sure hot today. The heat index was up over 100. I can only imagine what summer will be like! Thank God for AC.

We're getting very close to aquiring a new house! This will be a real blessing for us. We're pretty excited AND nervous.

Easter was nice. The Thursday of Easter week I participated in the "Living Last Supper." I had never seen it before, but thought it was really neat. We did it in English, but I put the Spanish translations up on the screen. I'll post the video file and the script here on the blog:
www.gregoryfish.org/lastsupper.wmv
www.gregoryfish.org/LLS.doc

2006-04-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

It’s official. We’re having a baby.

I didn’t want to believe 5 home pregnancy tests, because the line was so faint. But a line’s a line, and today it was confirmed by a doctor that we in fact are pregnant. Baby Fish #3 is on the way and will arrive in December. We are confident that it will either be a girl or a boy (fortunately there have been no alien abductions). It’d be nice to have a daddy’s little girl, but another boy wouldn’t be so bad. At this rate, I’m building a basketball team. So it’s that time again—time to lift things for Emily, run to Sonic for the newest cravings, and take extra care of the mother-to-be. By December Nate should be able to help around with little things. Eli will be jealous, but at the same time marveled. It’s gonna definitely get interesting around here. And Emily is the 5th lady in the Spanish Congregation alone who is pregnant right now. Needless to say, we are great with life!

2006-04-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

Spiritual Applications of Poker?

Just before I moved to Texas I got sucked into the poker craze. Just watch a little ESPN (I know it's not really a sport) and you might too. Texas Hold 'Em is a really fun little hobby! I realize that for a minister it's not the best of hobbies, but please understand that I play strictly for fun with play money. I am NOT advocating gambling here. On the contrary, I can see through playing simulated tournaments and such how addictive it could be, and how depressed one could become if investing real hard earned money! I guess poker for me has been a recreational activity that gets my mind off of the stresses of ministry and stretches it in a very interesting way.
It really is a tough game. There are so many intricacies and angles to it. Whether online or on one of those ($9 clearance) handheld plug and play TV games or with real people and real chips (of which I still can't do any tricks), you have to read the cards, the players, the position, the chip count and situations.
Last night after we got the kids down to sleep and after I spent some quality time with Emily, I played a simulated tournament on the handheld game. There were 50 players of different levels at different tables. (When one was knocked out, another would come in type of thing.) It was intense! It would tell you how many players were left. I played the night before and got 19th. Last night I saw that that feat was pretty easy. But to win it all, first out of 50, that one game that I started putting $400 of my fake $450 dollars to play took me into the wee hours of the morning, and I was finally victorious at 2:22 a.m. Em was cheering me on in the beginning, then fell asleep. I wanted to wake her when I made the final table, but I didn't wake her until I'd won it all. I won a $4000 fake cash prize to be stored in the memory of the unit.
It was not easy. I can't imagine the world series events that have thousands, pros and joes alike. All the variables, choices, and decisions hand after hand. Knowing when to hold 'em or fold them. Betting big on a bluff, hoping no one will call (stealing the pot). Playing the blinds. Laying down potentially good hands. Folding a nothing hand that turns out to be great. Spending half the stack of chips to call someone's bluff. Taking a bad beat. Going all in twice in a row. Getting lucky on the river, getting just the right card. Someone else getting lucky, getting just the right card to beat your already great hand. WHAT ARE THE ODDS??? This is pressure, but it's fun, and it's my new way to relax? Yes. Tonight after our Saturday night service, the youth minister and the band members and some others are coming over for some Christian poker, pizza, and sodas. I hope I can read those guys as well as the ones on the TV screen.
Anyway, I don't want to write a book on poker, so back to the purpose of this blog. I try to keep this blog semi-spiritual, so are there any spiritual applications of poker? Probably if I stretch far enough. Here's what it wouldn't be: lying. When you're a professional truth teller (minister) a little game strategy (bluffing) is good fun. Maybe the best stretch I could make would be that of taking risks. In poker you take a number of risks to win. Sometimes you lose, but sometimes you win big, and it's worth it. So in what area do we take risks for the cause of Christ? Probably many, but one that comes to mind is in seeking prospects for church. I go to Wal-mart and there is a line full of Hispanics who maybe are lost. I try to conduct what in poker they call a tell (something that tells you about the person, in Christianeese we call it discernment) and then may give a person an invitation card for church. I'm not stereotyping people. I'm trying to be a good steward of the seeds that I have. I want to be impartial, but I also want to be personal. I ask the Lord to direct me to the risks that may bring fruit. I'll try and converse first, etc. I don't just want to go all in every time with anyone and everyone-- that's not as smart. I want to try and find the person who's hurting and who Jesus has divinely appointed me for. And when I go to them, I don't bring along my poker face, I bring the face of Christ. I'm working this out. I think we should all take more risks everyday in showing those people, who God puts in our path, His great love through us.
Although I enjoy poker as a hobby, I don't necessarily believe in luck in life. But I do believe in blessing. God bless you today! Take a risk for Him.

2006-03-31T17:28:00.000-08:00

Brownsville, TX is an interesting place to say the least. We love it, actually. It has offered us the chance to do some things that we never have done. For example, how often in Joplin, MO can you say "Let's go to Mexico for lunch!" or "Maybe we should team up with a church from Mexico for this activity."? That's pretty neat for someone with a missionary heartbeat. Also, Brownsville's hispanic population is in the 90 percents, so it makes our Hispanic church prospect list endless. On the recreative side, we are 20 min. away from the beach. South Padre Island is a tourist attraction. Boca Chica beach is a secluded and serene paradise. We don't take this blessing of God's beauty for granted. I'm gonna take up surfing soon. One of the elders or mission organizers is going to have to help me learn. The good thing is I've been getting back into shape since we moved, dropping over 25 pounds. This will help. Since we moved here another hobby has developed. I guess I shouldn't be a Texan and not take up shooting and hunting. For someone who has only shot 8-bit computerized ducks on nintendo, it's a neat new experience, as is having my own church service, and being in charge of everything. The people couldn't be more receptive and welcoming. Their hunger for the things of God stretches us to be sharp enough to feed them the Word and have it impact their lives. God is doing some really cool stuff down here. And it's only just begun!

2006-03-31T12:41:00.000-08:00

MT. OLIVE

We recently painted the room that we use for worship. Some liked the color, some did not. I, myself, am color blind. That’s why I didn’t pick the color. I just got the little pallets and got opinions from respectable women. What I liked about the color that was chosen, is the name—“Mt. Olive.” I thought that was perfect, since that is where Jesus prayed, and this is a house of prayer. When I see it, I think of the symbolism, that we are in a house of prayer.

Jesus did pray at the Mount of Olives. At the foot of this mount is a place called Gethsemane. We remember that name around Easter time. Why? Because Jesus prayed in this garden right before he was betrayed and arrested. What was Jesus doing right before he was to be handed over to the religious leaders and the Romans—experts in torture? Praying.

Gethsemane is a place of passionate and fervent prayer. Hebrews 5:7-9 says, “During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” He prepared himself mentally to endure the worst of deaths through the spiritual act of prayer. He did it for us. He asked God if there was any other way, than to drink this cup of suffering- not only physical pain, but also the weight of all sin, and separation from God. He prayed “not my will, but Yours be done.” We should be eternally grateful.
When we suffer or have to endure something hard, do we prepare ourselves beforehand in prayer as Jesus did? If not, then don’t you think we should turn to God first instead of trying everything else and relying on our own strength. Remember that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). Not just when you’re at this House of Prayer, but wherever you are when things get tough, follow Jesus’ example of receiving strength from above through prayer. Don’t underestimate the power of prayer (James 5:16). It sounds so simple, but Jesus is not simple. He showed us the way to deal with suffering. Grace and peace!

2006-03-31T12:39:00.000-08:00

GREAT PICTURES AND VIDEOS OF OUR KIDS

Thanks to my wife, Emily, for setting up this page for the kids.
www.fishkids.homestead.com

2006-03-29T10:29:00.000-08:00

Muster the courage of an underdog.

Last night my little boys were wrestling. Nathan who will be 4 years old soon, was dominating his little brother Elijah who just turned 2. So like good parents, instead of breaking them up, we got out the video camera. It was pretty funny and lasted for a good long while. We’ve edited the best parts and they are posted at www.gregoryfish.org/wrestling.wmv.

I found the boys different attitudes to be very interesting. Nathan, clearly with the advantage—older, stronger, and smarter—was priding himself in the fact that Bubba (Elijah) was so easily beat. He really took in some hard knocks. But as Nathan celebrated and basked in his victory, Bubba would get up ready for some more. He was relentless in his pursuit. So Nathan would come over again and knock him down. We found ourselves routing for the little guy. Every time Nathan would trip and fall down, we’d tell Bubba to go get him. The times he managed to pin him, Nathan changed from a cocky victor, to a whinny victim. It was gratifying to see the underdog win for a while. Nathan’s learning that he has to pick on someone his own size. It will be fun to see them grow and become more equal matches in wrestling or whatever.
But, anyway, this all got me thinking (I know- a dangerous thing). How many times are we like Nathan. We are happy-go-lucky as we relish in the simple and far-to-easy victories, but as soon as a difficult situation comes our way, we revert to a bullied kid attitude. The school of hard knocks is life. When the world gangs up on us, we need to muster the courage of an underdog—just get up and keep going. (I’m not belittling tragedy, here. I’m talking about the little things that get us down, that really shouldn’t. We’ve been called more than conquerors in Romans 8, so why play the victim? God has enabled us to confront our problems head on, and even though we may be disadvantaged, we serve a powerful God. One plus God is always a majority. Corrie Ten Boom, who saw more hard times than we might ever see in our life, said the following, “If God sends us down stony paths, He provides strong shoes.” Whatever obstacles creep into our life, when our adversary attempts to rob our joy, we need to remember Bubba’s determination to get up and overcome and do the same. Blessings!

2006-03-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

I started doing concerts in Spanish our church first, and then in Mexico. It's different to do a concert by myself...with no band. I try to keep it interested by playing along to tracks with videos arranged to the lyrics, and then throwing in live loops and stuff. Here's an example from the first concert: www.gregoryfish.org/alegriaWMV.wmv
I'm gonna try and do some concerts at other churches in town and across the border. It's a great opportunity and fun extension of the ministry.

2006-03-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

Hi. This is my first post. Just trying to figure out the blog world.